AVAG provides teaching at two locations, one at the Vlaardingenlaan, Amsterdam and a building of its own that forms part of the Groningen University Medical Centre (UMCG) complex.
The chair of Midwifery Science and the corresponding research group form part of Division EPM of Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc, the division responsible for extramural and transmural medicine. Midwifery Science also falls under the Extramural Medical Research (EMGO) Institute. The researchers are accommodated in the Medical Faculty building of Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc.
Thanks to this construction, AVAG can make use of the expertise of a large teaching establishment and a renowned research institute in the pursuit of its academic ambitions.

AVAG cooperates with the healthcare training programmes of Inholland in the field of teaching and innovation. It also has links with Hanze Hogeschool in the field of teaching.

Research

AVAG researchers cooperate closely with the department of General Medical Practice at Amsterdam UMC and with the department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and other departments in the EMGO Institute. In the north of the country, Midwifery Science has links with the departments of Social Medicine, General Medical Practice and Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the UMCG.
AVAG’s department of Midwifery Science was one of the co-founders of the Pregnancy and Childbirth regional consortium in the Amsterdam UMC region, and participates in the regional consortia of the AMC, the northern region (Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe) and Overijssel.
AVAG has set up the Midwifery Consortium together with the research groups of the Midwifery Academies of Maastricht and Rotterdam, the AMC, TNO, NIVEL and the Royal Dutch Organization of Midwives (KNOV). This consortium aims to promote research in the field of Midwifery, to work closely with other bodies towards this end and to promote cooperation with other research consortia such as the Verloskundig Consortium.

SOV and KNOV

The Association of Midwifery Training Establishments (SOV) consists of AVAG together with the Midwifery Academies in Maastricht and Rotterdam. This body represents the interests of the individual training establishments in discussions with the national government and umbrella organizations in healthcare and education. The individual academies have a number of joint projects and activities in the field of further education.

AVAG also works together with the professional organization for midwives, the Royal Dutch Organization of Midwives (KNOV). The objectives of the KNOV are to maintain midwifery services throughout the Netherlands at a high level, to improve the status of midwives and to represent the interests of all midwives in the Netherlands. SOV and KNOV meet several times a year to discuss matters of common interest. Members of AVAG staff have positions on various KNOV committees. AVAG is represented on KNOV’s Scientific Committee on behalf of SOV.

Students can become associate members of KNOV, at a significantly reduced membership fee. They then receive the Tijdschrift voor Verloskunde (TvV) 11 times a year.

The Perinatal Care Board (CPZ) was set up in 2011 at the recommendation of the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport. The remit of this Board is to promote the quality of all aspects of care relating to pregnancy and childbirth and to improve cooperation between professionals in the perinatal care sector. Members of AVAG staff have been appointed to various CPZ committees.

International cooperation

AVAG’s department of Midwifery Science undertakes a number of joint activities with McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland, academic research groups in Oxford and Birmingham in the UK and with two healthcare districts in Zambia (Chilonga and Lubwe). Finally, AVAG has close links with the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM).